Sausage and Ricotta Lasagna

by Cindi Sutter, Founder of The Spirited Table® - Recipe and Image from tastingtable.com

Ingredients

For the Dough:
3¾ cups (20 ounces) flour, plus more for dusting
6 eggs, plus 6 egg yolks
1 teaspoon kosher salt

For the Sausage Ragù:
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 lb (4 links) hot Italian sausage, casings removed
4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 yellow onion, finely chopped
2 Tbsp red wine
Two 28-ounce cans whole peeled tomatoes, crushed by hand
1 tsp dried oregano
1 thyme sprig
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

For the Pesto Ricotta:
4 cups (2 pounds) whole-milk ricotta
1 cup basil pesto
½ cup grated Parmesan
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp kosher salt
1 tsp lemon zest
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 eggs

For Assembly:
Olive oil, for greasing
2 lbs mozzarella, cut into ¼-inch slices

Instructions

1. Make the dough: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment, combine all the dough ingredients and mix until a dough comes together, then transfer to a clean work surface and knead until a smooth dough forms, 3 to 5 minutes. Divide into 2 pieces and shape each into a disk. Wrap in plastic and let rest in the refrigerator overnight.
2. Meanwhile, make the ragù: In a medium saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook, using a wooden spoon to break up the sausage, until lightly caramelized, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and onions, and cook until the onions are translucent, 5 to 6 minutes. Pour in the wine and stir, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
3. Add the tomatoes, oregano and thyme, and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally until the tomatoes have broken down and the liquid has thickened, 30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Let cool, then transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate overnight.
4. Make the pesto ricotta: In a large bowl, whisk together all the ricotta ingredients until smooth. Transfer to an airtight container and let refrigerate overnight.
5. The next day, assemble the lasagna: Preheat the oven to 350° and grease a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Cut each disk of dough in half. With plenty of flour on hand for dusting, use a rolling pin and a pasta roller to roll the pasta dough out into ⅙-inch-thick sheets. Cut each sheet into 10-inch pieces, then set aside on a floured baking sheet layered with parchment paper.
6. In the baking dish, spread a quarter of the ragù on the bottom. Place 3 to 4 sheets of pasta dough across the bottom, overlapping slightly to cover. Spread a third of the pesto ricotta over the sheets and layer with a quarter of the sliced mozzarella, then arrange more pasta sheets to cover. Repeat the process of layering, alternating the ragù and the ricotta, 4 more times, for a total of 6 layers of pasta. Top the final layer of pasta with the remaining quarter of the ragù and the mozzarella slices.
7. Cover the lasagna with greased foil and place on a baking sheet. Bake covered for 45 minutes, then remove the foil and continue to bake until the cheese is golden brown and bubbling, 30 minutes more. Let cool for 20 minutes before slicing and serving.